Journals for November 19, 2021

Senior Drama: Choose another group's theme.  What do you know?  What would you like to know?  Comment on one group's mime.

Drama 8: What should Ms. Kosar know about you?  (Here are some things you should cover -- what experience do you have in Drama?  Did you do any drama in elementary school?  Extra classes?  Do you have stage fright?  Don't worry if you do -- that's natural.  What do you expect to get out of drama class?  How is it going so far?)

Tell the story of your mime in three sentences or LESS.

Drama 9/10:  What is your opinion on whether you should be able to say ANYTHING in your scenes?  Explain your answer.  Describe the inner workings of your group (things that Wendy and Ms. Kosar might not know about).

English 11:

Debating:  Choose your topic and put it in the form of a statement. 

"Disneyland is the happiest place on earth."

lst person (Affirmative):  This person introduces the topic and defines the terms.  They make points to support the idea that Disneyland is, indeed, the happiest place on earth.  (Surveys taken as people exit show that everyone is pleased with their time at Disneyland.  It is the most popular amusement park in the world.   These are the kinds of things you might say.)  

1st person (Negative):  If you don't like the definitions given by the 1st person for the affirmative, you may re-define the terms.  This person will counter the claims of the 1st person for the affirmative.  (Surveys taken a month after coming home from Disneyland show that people do not remember the experience fondly.   If there is time, this speaker may also introduce new points that demonstrate that Disneyland is not the happiest place on earth.  (The line-ups for rides and entertainment made many people feel as if they were being exploited by the Disneyland corporation.)

2nd person (Affirmative):  This person should also have at least two new points to make in addition to their being able to counter the points made by the 1st person (negative).

2nd person (Negative):  This person will make a strong conclusion, reiterating the strongest points for the negative and countering any new points made by the 2nd person (Affirmative).  If you have time, you may make a new point, but it is risky to leave new points until the end.

Each speaker will get one minute to make their speech.  Only the 1st person for the affirmative can have a completely prepared speech, because the other speakers must include time to dispute the views of the other speakers. (You should take notes while the other people are speaking and you may have a brief interlude to discuss your strategy with your partner.) 

After the initial presentation by the four speakers, they may ask questions of the other speakers.  (An example of this could be:

Jan (in her initial speech):  Photographs of visitors to Disneyland show that 80% of them are smiling 80% of the time. 

Dan:  If your photographic evidence is correct,  20% of the visitors to Disneyland are not smiling 20% of the time.  My research shows that visitors to Stanley Park in Vancouver smile 90% of the time!  And that's 100% of the guests.  Is Stanley Park actually the happiest place on earth?

Then, Jan gets a chance to respond.)

After four minutes (at most) of questions among debaters, the audience may ask questions.  Then the audience will decide who was most convincing.  The audience should focus on who made the best arguments and made the strongest case and not whether they agree with the speakers or not.

I hope that helps!